


Wings of Liberty

by avi_primroses



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: F/M, Original Character(s), Power Dynamics, Romance, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-07
Updated: 2019-08-13
Packaged: 2020-07-28 15:54:58
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 8,498
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20066623
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/avi_primroses/pseuds/avi_primroses
Summary: Valerya is different: Her hair is white and her eyes are dark purple.Much loved by her family, they try to hide her from the public, fearing that she could be abducted and sold on the black market if anyone found out.However, after Wall Maria falls, everything changes. Refugees flood Trost District and survival becomes much harder. The girl decides to join the military to ease the burden on her family, her hope being that the military would offer protection.When the attack on Trost District threatens her family she unleashes unseen powers, that Captain Levi developes special interest in.





	1. 845.

**Author's Note:**

> **As a reader you should probably know...**
> 
> \- this story developes slowly
> 
> \- there is no love at first sight
> 
> \- it is about a superior/subordinate relationship, the ranks _do_ play a part
> 
> \- the beginning is slightly awkward, but I will fix that at some point
> 
> Enjoy & let me know if you have thoughts! 

„I'm going to miss you guys, see you soon!" Gerard was already halfway down the street when he turned around and yelled his goodbyes one last time to his family. 

"Bye, Gerard!" The little ones screamed while Matilda waved slowly and melancholic, but still smiling at the boy. Gerard returned the smile to the woman who had adopted him several years ago, he was very grateful for everything she had done. He looked up at the house, the home he shared with his siblings for all those years, and he was truly sad to go, but his dream job awaited him. While looking at the house his eyes brushed over the very top window, small and round, where a little girl was standing and waving frantically. 

He raised his hand and nodded at her with a big smile, he wanted to make sure that she knew that he had seen her. The girl in the window excitedly started banging on the window and yelling, signaling him that she had indeed recognized his sign to her.

"Be good, Valerya!" he whispered quietly to himself. With that he finally took some strength and turned away for one last time, it was time to leave now.

He was long gone when the girl upstairs stopped throwing her small fists against the window. Tears were flowing down her cheeks. 

"Oh my Valerya, come here." Matilda had come upstairs to check on the girl. She closed her arms around her little darling and held her tight, giving her the chance to sob until she couldn't anymore.   
"You don't need to be sad, sweetie. He fulfilled his dreams and managed to become an apprentice in the military stables. It is a very prestigious job, you shouldn't cry, you should celebrate!" she calmly explained while stroking the girls long, white hair. Matilda was a short, round woman with a friendly face and a very loving voice, well loved by everybody who encountered her.

Finally Valerya collected herself and pulled back from Matilda's embrace. 

"I am proud of him!" she claimed defiantly while wiping away tears and snot with her hand. 

"That's my little girl!" Matilda kissed her on the nose and left for the kitchen. Valerya gazed after her until she disappeared down the stairs and then turned back around to the window. Gerard had long vanished, but the street was busy as always. It was one of the street markets, just off the center of Trost district. There were many stores and market stalls, all busy with customers. Bakeries, butchers, fruit dealers and a beautiful flower shop, which belonged to Matilda and her friend Agnes.

For the people down there it was a day like any other but for Valerya it felt like it was a day like no other, giving up the little freedom she had known in her life.

Valerya was just a tiny baby when Agnes and Matilda brought her in their home. Her childhood was filled with laughter and love, playing and fighting with her siblings. She had many happy memories, but there were also many memories of looking out of the tiny, round window at the top of the house, watching and observing. When she was much younger, she would see her elder brothers and sisters as they raced each other to school, eager to beat them all once she was older and going to school also. But the years passed and she was never allowed to go to school. Neither was she allowed to play with them on the streets, or even leave the house.

"Agnes, why can't I leave the house like the others?", she had once asked her step mother, when it became apparent to her, that she would never leave to school like the other children had that morning. Agnes, a slim and stern looking woman, sighed. 

"My little Valerya, come.", she had told her and lead her in front of the mirror in the living room. "What do you see?"

"Myself!" The girl replied confused. 

"Do you look like me?" Agnes asked. 

"No, but you aren't my real mother." Valerya was still unsure about the questions. 

"Yes, that is true. But do you look like anybody you have ever seen?" The girl looked at herself in the mirror and then up to Agnes who was leaning in above her.

"No, but I have only ever seen you and my brothers and sisters." 

Her step mother shook her head. "No, Valerya. You spend so much time looking out of the window, you have seen many people. None of them have white hair. And none of them have your eye color. You are different." 

Once again the little girl looked in the mirror. She stared at her long, white hair and dark purple eyes, you could mistake for black if you didn't look closely.   
"But why is that bad?" Valerya asked visibly upset. 

"It is not bad. You are perfect the way you are. But it is dangerous. There are people who would pay a lot of money to own you if they knew you existed." Agnes explained carefully. She hadn't wanted to upset the child too much, but she had also known that Valerya needed some sort of explanation sooner or later.

"I don't understand." She had muttered quietly and started pulling face at herself. 

Agnes had kissed her on the top of her head and smiled at her through the mirror. "Matilda and I will explain it to you soon, now come help me bake some sweets for when the other come back!" The prospect of cake had made Valerya quickly forget her questions, just like Agnes had intended.

Over the years many conversations like this happened in the household. Sometimes with Agnes, sometimes with Matilda, but the outcome was always the same. She couldn't leave the house, it was for her own safety. Although she understood it, she was just a child like any other and longed for the outside.

It was her stepbrother Gerard, who took pity on her and took her with him sometimes at night. He would pass her a cloak and tell her to not take off her hood or look at anybody, no matter what happened. They would roam the streets, catch frogs and dance in the rain. Valerya loved every second of it and always looked forward to when Gerard would come to her room with the cloak late at night. But now her brother was gone too. 

The day before Gerard had visited her in her room. "Promise me to never go outside without me." He had begged her. She argued but he was adamant. Finally she promised. And she intended to stay true to her word. Valerya sighed. Goodbye, outside world, she thought to herself.

* 

"Can you pass me the pan?" Matilda shouted over to Valerya. The girl dropped the knife she was peeling potatoes with and got up to fetch the pan for her mother. 

"Thanks, I really need to hurry. Agnes and the kids will be home soon and I don't want to hear them complain about food not being ready." She said with a stressed voice. 

"Of course, I'll hurry up too." Valerya replied and continued peeling faster than before. It had been hours since Gerard left and the girl had somewhat pulled herself together and had gone after her household chores. Both were completely absorbed in their task when the bells started ringing, loud and clear. They stopped and looked at each other, while screams and voices surged outside. Valerya could see the color vanishing from Matilda's face, turning pale as a ghost. After a few seconds she whispered barely audible to the girl "Stay here." 

Matilda bolted to the door and opened it. "What is going on? What is happening?" she yelled in a panic. It seemed like she was being ignored by the people, but suddenly Valerya heard the familiar voice of the baker just down the street. 

"Wall Maria has fallen, refugees are coming."

Within seconds Valerya rushed to the stairs and hurried all the way upstairs, taking several stair-steps at once. Breathing heavily she stopped at her round window, pressing her face against the glass. The street was flooded with people, visibly in panic. Screaming and yelling they surrounded the few people from the Garrison Regiment that were present, seemingly demanding to know what is going on.   
Valerya thought this was already how bad it could possibly be. She felt gut wrenching fear and her heart was pounding so hard, her chest hurt. Desperately she tried to calm herself. Wall Maria fell, but they were inside Wall Rose. Nothing would happen to them, they were safe. Agnes will be okay. Matilda will be okay. Her brothers and sister will be okay. Valerya herself... will be okay.

But right then, barely a few minutes after the bells of Wall Rose started ringing, she saw them. A gigantic wave of people started appearing in her all too familiar street. The refugees were here. Silent tears were running down the girls face.


	2. 847. - I

Life had changed since the day Wall Maria fell. At first the streets and houses of District Trost were stuffed with people. The situation became rapidly critical. There was barely enough food to feed all those hungry mouths. Children were running through the streets, stealing anything they could eat or trade for food. The citizens had to spent all their money to put a meal on their family's table. Valerya's household wasn't spared either.

Before Agnes and Matilda could easily live on the income their little flower shop generated. However they were forced to close their store as there was no land left to cultivate flowers on, every inch was needed for wheat and grain. Both had found jobs as producers, which was hard work and paid little. The older children also scavenged the streets, looking for whatever work they could find. Alicia, barely ten, was able to find work in a close tavern, cleaning glasses. Calep, who was just a year older than Alicia, spent days cutting wood. Both only came back home late at night, sometimes even too tired to eat. They would fall into their beds and pass out.  
Valerya watched them, from her little window. She saw them leave and come back home drenched in sweat, with expressionless faces. It was torture the her, she knew she was a burden. Unable to work despite being fourteen and also being a mouth to feed. To calm her conscience she had started to take care of the entire household. Her days were filled with cleaning, washing, cooking and taking care of her two siblings of toddler age. It was the only thing that kept her from going insane. At least I am contributing something, she would tell herself.

Although no one ever said anything, Valerya felt a lot of disdain towards her from her siblings. Agnes and Matilda had explained Valerya's position to their other children many times just like they had to Valerya, however on though days it was hard for them to be as understanding as usual. The girl didn't fault them, she quietly agreed with them.

Valerya had been thinking about a solution to her problem every second of every day. But it wasn't until she was cleaning her round, little window, which had been her only gateway to the outside world for so long, that a way out was presented to her. She was wiping the dust of the glass when she saw some people from the military police in the street. They were handing out information sheets, talking to young people and shouting to gain attention. It quickly became obvious to her that they were recruiting.   
The military can protect me, she started theorizing. No, I can learn how to fight and protect myself. They will feed me and bed me. I could even support Agnes and Matilda financially.

Her mind was made up that second. She ran to the closet and pulled out the hooded cloak she had worn during her nightly escapes with Gerard. Hastily she pulled it over her herself and headed downstairs towards the door. Luckily everybody was out working, no one to try to talk her out of it. The little ones Hana and Maurice were sleeping, they wouldn't miss her if she was gone for a few minutes.

For the first time in her life, Valerya stepped outside the door in broad daylight, but she had no time to acknowledge that this very second. The street was crowded but she knew where the MPs were, so she pushed her way through to them. 

"Excuse me." She interrupted the MP closest to her, as he was speaking with an elderly man. 

"Yeah?" The guy with short brown hair and long face looked at her. 

"How do I join? How do I join the military?" Valerya spoke quickly, without making eye contact. 

"Fill out this form and come down to your local Garrison office by the end of tomorrow. We are currently in the final stage of recruitment for the 104th Cadet Corps. Here." The guy replied and handed her an information sheet and a form, before turning back to continue his previous conversation. 

"Thanks." Valerya mumbled and returned home, the two papers pressed closely to her chest.

**· ** **· ** **·**

_Dear Matilda, dear Agnes,_

_Thank you. You gave me a home when I had none. If I could, I would stay with you forever. But I don't want to burden you anymore. Tomorrow I will join the Cadet Corps. I will come visit in three years._

_With much love,_

_Valerya_

It was early, before sunrise. Meticulously the girl placed the letter written by her on the bed. She had decided to keep her plan a secret, so her family doesn't try to stop her, after all they still loved her very much. The letter explained where she had gone to, so they wouldn't worry about her whereabouts and start looking for her. Valerya stuffed a few clothes in a bag and made her way downstairs. Every step she took with extreme caution, avoiding any noise possible. The others were still asleep, she didn't want to wake them. In front of the entrance door she held in for a second and silently bid farewell. She pulled her hood over her head and continued on.

**· ** **· ** **·**

"And who the hell are you?" Commandant Keith Sadies yelled into her face. 

"Sir, Valerya Vance, Trost District, sir." She yelled back while saluting. Valerya was standing in the middle of the training grounds, surrounded by all the other people that had signed up for the military, wearing the Cadet Corps uniform she had received yesterday.

"You will receive no special treatment here. You are dirt under my shoes, just like the others." He was right in her face, she could feel some of his spit in her face. 

"No special treatment. Understood commandant." 

"Do not speak unless I ask you something, scum. You don't get special privileges, I just told you." 

She had no idea how he managed to yell even louder than before, but somehow he did. Trying to seem unfazed she kept the salute up and stared straight ahead, pretending like his face wasn't right in front of hers.   
That seemed to do the trick, because he moved on. Valerya left out an inaudible sigh of relief. Strange how he knew exactly that her biggest fear was people thinking she expected special treatment, which was actually exactly the opposite of what she wanted.

The whole ordeal lasted several hours, the Commandant had addressed nearly all of the cadets, which had taken some time. Once Sadies dismissed them, everybody was free to head back to their dorms. The dorms were inside of big wooden buildings, stuffed with beds. Boys and girls were living separated.

Valerya fell right into her bed, standing around all day in the sun had been quiet draining.   
The bed to her right side was occupied by a quiet girl with long, black hair. Valerya hadn't yet inquired her name, because her stern facial expression and silent nature didn't make her seem particularly approachable. The empty bed on her other side belonged to a much more open girl with brown hair, Sasha. Valerya had been chatting with her the day before and she seemed nice, but also a bit quirky. Today's potato incident certainly proved that hunch. Even the thought of potato girl put a grin on Valerya's face.

While Valerya was lying motionless in her bed, trying to get herself together, slowly but surely most of the other recruits around her headed to dinner. Although not particularly hungry, the girl was keen on socializing with her fellow cadets, so she finally convinced herself to get up and throw on some clothes. The dorm was already empty, when Valerya left it.

On porch steps she held in for a moment. Yesterday morning she had turned her back on the only place she had ever know. And today she was here; a place and direction she had chosen for herself, by herself. She took a look around the training ground: there were some small groups of cadets chatting and heading towards the dining hall and of course there was Shasha, still running.   
Valerya threw her head back and stared at the sky. A stupidly big smile formed on her face. Free.

Thankfully no one was looking her way, she probably looked like a lunatic. But she did not care, not one single bit. 


	3. 847. - II

When Valerya entered the cafeteria some people stared at her. It made her feel somewhat uncomfortable but she pretended to not notice at all. Determined she walked over to pick up her food ration and took a quick look around the room. There was a small group gathered around a boy with dark brown hair, seemingly hanging onto his every word. Right in front of that group was a table with only two people, a muscular blond guy and a pretty tall guy with brown hair. Both were unfazed with the commotion behind them, so Valerya decided to sit with them. She placed her bowl and bread on the table and swung one leg over the bench to take a seat.

"Hey I'm Valerya Vance." While speaking she extended her hands towards the blond guy.

"Reiner Braun." He shook her hand and smiled at her for a brief moment. Afterwards she shook hands with the other boy. 

"Bertolt Hoover. Nice to meet you!" He introduced himself.

"So, where the hell are you from and do all people look like you there?" Asked the guy named Reiner immediately afterwards. Valerya raised her eyebrows in disbelief of such a cocky question this early in the conversation. 

"No, not everybody in Trost District has white hair." She replied somewhat sassy. 

"So it only runs in the family then, huh?" He kept digging. 

"I don't know, I am adopted." Her voice remained sweet, but it had a sharp undertone.

"Oh." It was apparent that he had no intention of taking the conversation this far south with his line of questioning. Bertolt buried his face in his hands, in an attempt to hide the second hand shame he felt. "I didn't mean to..." 

But Valerya interrupted him instantly. "It's ok. It happened fourteen years ago, I'm over it." She smiled at him encouragingly and Reiner opened his mouth to say something but suddenly there were raised voices in the room.

"Are you trying to pick a fight?" The guy, who had been surrounded by other cadets earlier, had stood up and seemed to be addressing a boy with light-brown hair and cocky mannerism.

"Alright sure, makes no difference to me." He replied while getting up as well and facing the guy who had challenged him. There was a third guy trying to intervene and stop their bickering but it was the bell announcing end of dinner that broke up the tension.

"What a show, great entertainment." Reiner remarked sarcastically and returned to finishing his soup. His comment left a hint of a grin on Valerya's face, he seemed to notice, because he winked at her cheekily. The girl couldn't help blushing, she was a completely stranger to interacting with people outside her family.

And of course the boys noticed her flushed face. To avoid further embarrassment she decided she was done with eating.

"Okay, see you guys around!" She hastily said as she collected her bowl and got up. Bertolt looked at her apologetic, while Rainer was holding back a laughter. Valerya stormed out as quickly as she could.

**···**

The morning bells started ringing and yesterday's embarrassment came back to Valerya instantly. "Oh god, why." She groaned as she remembered how easily Reiner had made her blush.

The girl with black hair next to her had already gotten up and Valerya noticed that she must have cut her hair, it was much shorter than yesterday.

"Hey, your hair looks really nice." She said while sitting up in bed. The other girl turned and looked at Valerya.

"Oh... thanks." Her face remained blank.

"What's your name by the way?" 

"Mikasa." She didn't bother to ask back or wait for a reply and took off to change into her uniform. Charismatic as a stone, she thought as she watched Mikasa walk away. Sasha's snoring drew her attention back to reality. Yesterday's running had completely exhausted the poor girl.

"Hey. Get up, Shasha. You are already on Sadies' shitlist, no need to make it worse by oversleeping." Two times she tried poking her awake, but no reaction, the snoring persisted. 

"Get up! If it helps, I'll even smuggle you out some breakfast." 

Immediately the girl bolted awake and jumped on top of Valerya. "Yes, yes, yes. Thank you." There were tears of joy trickling down her face. "First Krista, now you. People are being so nice to me."

"Erm... you are _so_ strange." Valerya groaned with Sasha still on top of her. 

The girl with brown hair laughed. "Nothing strange about being hungry if you ask me! Now get ready, I am starving."

Thanks to Sasha, Valerya's morning was filled with laughter, but as the two were approaching the assembly on the training grounds, she growingly became more and more nervous. She knew, that today their aptitude would be tested and she had no clue how she would fare.

The only thing she was certain of: she simply had to pass, because she had no plan B. This was her only plan, her only option.

"This is the aptitude test." Sadies barked at the recruits. "Fail and you can go home and be a producer." The commandant was standing in between the wooden constructs that were used to simulate being in the air with the ODM gear. Valerya had taken up a spot all the way in the front. She had never been a patient person, she wanted to know as soon as possible how she would fare. Her sweaty hands were clenching her belt, a part of the ODM gear. I can do it, she told herself over and over again.

"Show us what you got, maggots."

Finally, it was time. Valerya and several other recruits stepped up without hesitation and positioned themselves in the middle of the wooden constructs.

Carefully the girl attached the ropes hanging of the wood to the hooks in her belt, while also preparing herself mentally. With a quick glance and nod she signaled the boy behind her that she was ready to be lifted into the air. Shortly after she began hovering above the ground.

Valerya was completely still in the air, without even having to try hard. Her body and intuition were doing all the work by themselves. It took the girl a few moments to realize what was happening. She was confused and almost certain she must be doing something wrong, as it felt too easy. But when she glanced over to the others, she realized they were indeed doing the same, just struggling more with it. At that point some recruits who were waiting for their turn were staring and pointing at her.

"Damn, how is she doing that?" But really, Valerya couldn't have explained even if her life dependent on it.

Once they let her down, the girl could feel the weight dropping of her shoulders. She passed, no question about it. In a cheery mood she walked over to Sasha who was talking to a guy with really short hair. When they saw her approaching, they got all excited.

"That was really impressive! I'm Connie by the way." The boy sounded genuine.

"Valerya. Thanks!" Her voice was gleaming with joy. Sasha shoved her face into Valerya's.

"Any tips? Spitt it out, come on! Come on!" While chatting, the three of them curiously observed how the others were doing.

"Woah, look at her!" Valerya suddenly exclaimed and pointed at Mikasa. "She is doing so good!" 

Sasha followed the direction of her friend's finger.

"Yeah, you looked just like her. Now you get, why we were so impressed by you? Dang, I hope I look like that too..."

Really? Valerya thought to herself. I knew I did well, but that well? For the rest of the training she couldn't stop smiling, by the end she had hardly any feelings left in her cheeks. Not even Rainer and his subtle wink in her direction could dampen her mood.

All the cadets that had passed the test were more or less on a high. Dinner was loud and messy. "Please, tell me anything that could help me." The boy begging Valerya was Eren. He hadn't managed to successfully take the test yet and the girl felt quite sorry for him. The boy seemed to be sweet natured, but he was stubborn and keen on running into his own demise. 

"I wish I could help you, but really I was just doing what felt right. Maybe Mikasa can help?" 

Mikasa, who was sitting right next to him, shook her head. "We already tried this afternoon, my advice didn't help either." 

As always, Valerya couldn't really make out what the girl was thinking behind her blank face, whether she felt sorry for him or was annoyed by his incompetence.   
In the end it wasn't her business, she concluded. However, the jokes that were coming Eren's way, amused his friends during the entire dinner time.

At one point Valerya saw Reiner leaving the dining room by himself. Maybe it was her temporary high, or the constant annoyance he kept causing her, but something drove her to follow him. She stuffed her leftover bread in the sleeve of her shirt (for Sasha) and went after him into the dark.

The training ground was empty, save for Reiner who was walking towards the boys' dorm by himself.

"Hey!" Her shout made him turn. 

"Ya?" 

"We need to talk." She approached him with fast steps. 

"Do we now? About what?" His lips curved everso slighty upwards. But this time she didn't let it get to her. 

"About this! Stop. This is not some child play, I don't need your stupid ...," she stuttered for a second. "I don't need your stupid jokes, yes jokes..., distracting me during the training."

He started laughing straight into her face. It did nothing but work her up more. 

"Stop. What the hell are you laughing at." Slowly his laughing died down to a chuckle and he managed to reply. 

"Really, I think this intervention is pretty unfair, it's not like it is my fault." Valerya pushed her eyebrows together and closed her eyes in disbelief. 

"Who's fault could it possibly be?" She didn't even try to hide how irritated she was. 

"Yours. Try blushing less cute next time, maybe it will avoid causing '_jokes_' like mine in the future." A big smile was accompanying his words.

Valerya was rendered speechless and could feel the blood rushing to her cheeks. She held both her hands in front of her face to hide it, peeking only through her fingers at Reiner. 

Suddenly several voices could be heard approaching. They weren't alone anymore. 

"Anyways, you got it. No more... 'jokes'." This time he spoke quietly, like he meant to make sure that their conversation remained private till the end and the girl was more than grateful. Reiner added a warm and slightly melancholic "Sweet dreams, Valerya." as he turned and walked away. 

"Thanks." She faintly mumbled still behind the cover of her hands. 


	4. 850: Battle of Trost District - I

_"Valerya Vance. Unmatched when it comes maneuvering skills. Great potential in most fields."_ \- Commandant Keith Sadies

"Do you have heart?" – "Sir!" The entire 104th cadet corp replied in unison while saluting, right fist to heart, left to their backs. They were all facing towards their superiors at their graduation ceremony.

"As of this moment you have three options open to you. Choose wisely. The garrison regiment, whose job is to reinforce the walls. The scout regiment who rides out into titan country to take back what was once ours. And the MP regiment, maintaining law and order under orders from his royal majesty. Those cadets eligible for the MP have already been named. The rest of you take a look: these are the top of your class."

Valerya was beaming in the front row, Mikasa to her left, Reiner to her right. Surpassing her wildest dreams she has been able to place second in the southern division. All doors were now open to her, even becoming a MP and living inside of Wall Sheena. However, Valerya hadn't made up her mind yet, she was strongly considering joining the garrison regiment, so she could remain in Trost District. Being close to her family was something she couldn't quite let go off.

"I still can't believe you placed higher than me." Reiner and Valerya were heading towards the barracks after graduation.

"Why is that? You were in my squad during our last training session, it should have been obvious to you." The girl smirked at him, playfully bumping her shoulders into him.

"Oh my, I should have winked at you during the final exam, it would have put you out of action for sure." He replied tauntingly.

"Reiner! Why are you doing this to me?" Dramatically Valerya threw her hands in the air and subsequently let them fall onto her face. "Reminding me of that embarrassment on the proudest day of my life."

"Maybe I just miss that sweet, innocent girl from three years ago, nowadays you are so full of yourself."

"Reiner." Bertolt's voice interrupted their playful banter. The two turned around and saw them approaching with a stern looking facial expression. "What are you doing? We had plans?"

"What plans?" Valerya inquired curiously. "Tonight is the farewell banquet for the cadets, do you mean that?"

"No. It's family stuff. We won't attend." He replied and he sounded dry and impatient, something very unlikely for him.

Reiner's smile dropped and his facial expression showed he was mortified. "I am so sorry, Bertolt. Let's go." The tall boy nodded at him and headed off. "Bye, Valerya, have fun at the farewell banquet." The blond patted her on the head and followed his friend.

"Thanks. See you tomorrow, I guess." The whole thing seemed very strange to her, but she brushed it off. It seemed to be a private matter. She continued to the barracks by herself, looking forward to getting out of the uniform and stuffing her face with delicious meat for once.

**···**

"I can not believe my eyes!" Gerard threw his arm around Valerya and hugged her tightly. The girl returned the embrace just as tight.

Valerya was one of the lucky few who had the day after graduation off and she had decided to use it to visit Gerard and later her family.

Her brother was still working in the stables. Being intelligent, hardworking and extremely gifted with animals have enabled him to become stable manager in one of the smaller horse ranches of the military.

"You have to tell me everything, we could hardly acquire any information about you in the past three years, the military wouldn't enclose much more than you being alive."

"Sure, got a few hours to spare?" Valerya asked jokingly.

"Plenty, the survey corps leave for an expedition today, you can fill up my ear while I get the horses ready." The put his arms around her and pulled her inside the stable with her.

So Valerya started telling her story, as Gerard was checking up on gear, preparing the horses and readying the supply carts. Hours passed and slowly members of the survey corps started arriving, of course all sporting their badges: the blue and white wings.

The girl decided that it was time to get out of her brother's way. She used the ladder to the attic, fully prepared to just take a nap in all of the hay that was stored there. However in one corner she noticed sunlight getting in and upon closer inspection she discovered a hole in the roof, just big enough so she could squeeze through. Nap or see the survey corps departure from front row? The decision was quite simple.

Carefully she placed her hands on the edges of the opening in the roof and pulled herself up. She quickly got on her feet and wiped off the dust of her dark brown riding breeches and her olive green long-sleeved shirt.

With firm steps she climbed to the highest point of the saddle roof and walked towards the edge above the main entrance. Valerya stood there, hands clasped behind her back and wind playing with her long, white hair.

The first soldiers on horseback were now coming outside below her. Suddenly Valerya's mouth fell wide open. One of the guys who just rode onto the square in front of the stable was Commander Erwin Smith, leader of the scouts. A faint "Wow." escaped her mouth.

"Way to go, brother... Being in charge of the horses of the commander."

Once all the present members of the scout regiment were mounted they departed as a unit. Valerya was fairly certain that none of them had seen her, because quite frankly, who would expect a person on top of the roof of a stable. However, a soldier at the very back of the group, suddenly turned around and looked directly at her. It was as if his instinct told him he was being watched.

Valerya gasped inaudible, there was no doubt about it. Short black hair and an emotionless expression... it was Captain Levi, humanity's strongest soldier, as they called him.

Without hesitation Valerya stood up, tall and proud, and saluted him. His eyes fixated on her for a few more seconds, his face remaining unreadable. Subsequently he turned back around, not acknowledging her further.

The girl kept up the salute until she couldn't see them anymore. The respect she was paying them was sincere, as she knew what sacrifices they were making.

"Valerya?" Gerard voice came from inside the building.

"Here! Outside!" She yelled back. One of her legs was hanging down the side of the building, the other was propped up, her hands and chin resting on top of her knee. Valerya had been staring into the distance for a while now. Seeing the scout regiment up close had reminded her of the difficult decision she had to make in the near future: garrison or MP?

The girl saw her brother walk out of the entrance, looking around confused.

"Where?" He shouted once more.

"Here!" The direction her voice came from startled him, she could tell. When his eyes finally found her she grinned at him.

"What's up?" Valerya greeted her brother.

"So, how was that nap?" His tone was playful.

"Excellent," she replied and with one swift motion she pushed herself of the ledge of the roof and landed in front of Gerard's feet. "In fact," she told him as she was getting up from the crouch she landed in, "I had a dream about Commander Erwin and Captain Levi, very exciting."

"Really? Sounds fascinating." The young man was shaking his head in disbelieve of his sister's cheekiness, while looking quite amused at the same time.

"Anyway, I'm going to head home. I want to visit Agnes and Matilda this afternoon and I don't want to look like a thug from the undergrounds when I surprise them."

Gerard nodded and embraced her. "Be good, Valerya. And come back soon."

"Of course," she replied as she let go of him, "after all you have a seemingly good connection to my superiors!"

"Get the hell out of here." He made waving motions with his hands, shooing her away.

**···**

She was sitting in her old kitchen, Matilda had made her favorite food, meat with rice. It tasted incredible, just as good as she had always remembered. Gerard was also there, he had a black eye from his last fight with the boy down the street.

"We missed you so much, Valerya," Agnes said and kissed her forehead. Suddenly the floor started shaking violently, the entire house was moving and Valerya's ears were ringing violently. She moved her hands to cover them, pressing against them as hard as she could, but the ringing continued.

The room vanished as Valerya opened her eyes but the incredibly loud ringing persisted. She wasn't visiting her family, she had nodded off in her bed accidently. There were voices and shouts filled with panic outside her room.

The girl snapped back into reality. The bells, the bells in the barracks were ringing! Titans!

She had never encountered any real titans. Fear crept up on her and paralyzed her while the voices outside were surging.

Have the titans invaded Trost District? If so, how? Will the people be able to evacuate in time? Or did Wall Rose fall too?

Questions over questions shot through her head. If she hadn't fallen asleep she would have been with her family now, she could have protected them. The girl teared up.

"Calm down," she told herself, "I have no clue what has happened yet. I need to get out there and help, I need to protect the people, no matter the circumstance."

Valerya closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. At this point, she had to forget about her own family and think about the greater good. When the girl opened her eyes again, she finally was ready to meet the urgency of the situation.

As fast as possible she got into her uniform and headed to the supply room. Just like the corridors, the stock room was overflowing with people. Valerya recognized Connie who was checking is equipment on a nearby table, his hands were shaking.

"Connie," she addressed him as she was right in front of him, "Do you know what is going on?"

He looked up at her, clearly in shock, his cheeks wet. "The colossal titan kicked in the gate to Trost District, exactly like five years ago. I was there, Valerya. I was right there."

Valerya was on the verge of throwing up as he told her, his voice shaking. He looked horrible and Valerya wish she had the strength to comfort him but she couldn't. With robotic movements she got her own gear, quickly checking it for any issues and afterwards filling up blades and the gas. At this point she felt like she was completely empty, just a shell, doing as she was told, as there was no better option.

Once she was done, she headed outside to take part in Captain Woermann's briefing.

Garrison in the vanguard, Cadet Corps in the middle, Elites in the rearguard. Protect the evacuating civilians. This was the entire plan.

Afterwards the captains started sorting the cadets into squads. Aimlessly Valerya started to look around, most of her fellow cadets' faces mirror how she was feeling.

"You look pale," Reiner said as he stepped up to her. The girl turned her head and looked up at him. He seemed strangely calm.

"Reiner, are you not scared?" she asked him quietly, secretly hoping he had reassuring advice for her.

"No," he answered in a low voice, "and you shouldn't be either, you have a warrior's heart."


	5. 850: Battle of Trost District - II

"A warrior's heart?" The words were so random they caught Valerya completely off guard. But without offering any further explanation, Reiner returned to the squad he had been assigned to. The girl gazed after him, pondering about what he had just said.

"Valerya Vance," A sharp voice interrupted her thoughts, "come with me."

She turned around and faced a member of the Garrison Elite squad.

"Yes, sir?" Valerya saluted dutiful.

"You are with us at the rearguard."

"Yes, sir."

She was confused as to why they would place her in an Elite squad, but she didn't dare to ask. And after short consideration she decided that she didn't care anyway. Her life was in danger, no matter were she was. She couldn't go check on her family, either. So why bother at this point.

Apathy had replaced fear.

Valerya followed the member of the Garrison quietly, eventually meeting up with the other members of their squad. Mikasa was also there. The girls nodded silently at each other.

"This is our team leader, Ian Dietrich," introduced the guy who had lead Valerya here.

Once more the girl saluted.

"It is our task to protect the evacuation of the civilians. Slaughter any titan that make it through to us. That is our highest priority. Be prepared to lay down your life for humanity," the team leader explained the orders, he had received earlier, to his squad.

"Move out."

The soldiers drew their swords and maneuvered to the top of the closest building. For the first time Valerya could see the disaster with her own eyes. The city was drowning in gut-wrenching screams and smoke. Titans were moving through the streets, so tall you could see them from far away.

The titans were grotesque and ugly, Valerya had never seen something so horrible before. Nothing in the past three years could have ever prepared her for this moment, seeing them, eye-to-eye.

It took a few minutes for the first titans to appear in the street below them but when they did team leader Dietrich whispered, "that means the vanguard is done for". Valerya looked at him in disbelief but deep down she knew it was the truth.

Untouched Mikasa jumped of the roof and started maneuvering towards the first two titans. Valerya followed her lead without hesitation.

"Left." Mikasa yelled at her mid-air, once she realized that Valerya was right behind her.

"She will take on the left guy." Valerya thought to her, navigating towards the smaller one on the right. Unerring she shot her hook towards a high tower next to the titan, pulling herself high up in the air. When she was above the titan, she fired her hook at his nape. Valerya pulled herself to it as fast as possible, landing on its upper back with both feet.

The giant was slow and unable to react in time. With one brutal strike she sliced out a huge chunk of his nape, breaking both her blades.

Her first kill.

The titan's body slowly fell towards the ground and Valerya pushed herself away from him, maneuvering to the top of a nearby roof. Mikasa was waiting there, having already killed the other titan, her intact blades steaming with blood.

Like always the black-haired beauty seemed emotionless, whereas Valerya felt as if she was on a high. She could feel the adrenaline pumping through her veins.

While Valerya was filling up her blades, the rest of the squad flew by them, taking care of titans that started pouring in at this point.

"Let's move," the other girl said, gesturing to follow the others.

Valerya nodded eagerly and they set off. This time she was leading the way, drunk on the power she felt through her titan kill. She set her eyes on another of the monstrosities straight ahead, heading in their direction. The circumstances were less favoring this time, Valerya noticed. No high tower to safely pull up to, just houses the same height as the titan.

But the girl brushed the thought off, after all the last titan was so slow, he hadn't even be able to turn his head in her direction.

With confidence she shoot her hook right past the titans face into a building nearby and adjusted her body to move past him with full speed.

"It's working." The girl thought as she flew by his ear and ugly brown hair. Her feet touched the wall and she was ready to close in on his nape with another leap, but the titan turned, his hand reaching towards her.

She had no time to think or act, he closed his finger around her and she could feel his grip tightening, ready to crunch her and eat her.

Everything in her body went numb as she was starring him right into his distorted, scary face.

In that moment blood splashed from both sides of the titans neck, some blood drops landing on her face. The titans grip went lose, his hand dropping with the rest of the body.

Feeling her senses return in an instant, Valerya used his massive index finger as steppingstone and lunched towards the closest eaves. She was able to grab on, dangling while the titan crushed onto the ground below her.

Mikasa landed directly in front of her and extended her hand to help her friend up. She had slain the titan while he was focused on his prey.

On all fours Valerya started crying hysterically.

"The first one was so slow," She tried justifying her action. "but this one was different. They never told us. They've never said there were differences."

Mikasa's hand was resting on Valerya's shoulder, but she remained quiet. Before Valerya could collect herself, the ground started shaking violently. Both of them looked up towards the origin of the noise.

An enormous abnormal was running right past them.

"He is heading towards the evacuation." Valerya screamed in panic, but Mikasa had already realized as well and set off.

On all four, she stared after her, feeling pathetic and weak. She didn't even have the strength to thank Mikasa. Full force she slammed her fist into the ground and let out a scream.

"Who the fuck do you think you are?" she yelled at herself. "You think killing titans was that easy, that it's a game, just because you got lucky. You idiot, get the hell up. Stand up, Valerya."

She wiped the last tears and the snot off with the back of hand and rose to her feet slowly. Mikasa and the others were long gone, chasing the abnormal. Valerya headed after them, hoping to catch up in time.

When the girl with white hair arrived at the inner gates of Trost the abnormal was already dead. Mikasa and squad leader Dietrich were standing atop of a nearby building, talking. The girl spotted Valerya first.

"Are you okay?" she asked as soon as Valerya landed next to her, seemingly relieved to see her. Valerya nodded, still ashamed about her own carelessness.

"As I was telling Ackermann, good work! You too, Vance." Dietrich interrupted the exchange between the girls.

"Sir." Valerya replied emotionless, gazing off into the distance. "Good work, weakling," she congratulated herself quietly.

"Time to withdraw," the squad leader continued. "Let's scale the wall!"

"I'll go assist the vanguard's retreat." Mikasa told hin and took off without waiting for an answer or approval.

"Hey, Ackermann!" Dietrich yelled after her stunned.

Valerya watched her fly through the street, heading away from the safety of Wall Rose. She knew that Mikasa was looking for Eren to protect him, like she had always done it the past three years. After all he was her only family...

Suddenly Valerya's thoughts spiraled out of control. What about her own family? There were still people in Trost, the shouts and screaming more than attested to that. Her family could be out there too, she hadn't seen them and she could have easily come across them, after all they were patrolling the evacuation.... which was over, by Dietrich's own words.

"I'm going to help too." Valerya muttered before leaping off the roof.

"What the hell is wrong with these cadets?" she could hear the squad leader asking confused as she was distancing herself from him.

In reality she had no intention of helping the vanguard. Valerya couldn't just wait around inside the walls, hoping for her family to have made it out, she had to make sure. Right now.

As fast as she could she was heading towards her old family home, wishing to find it empty.

All the good memories she had were thanks to Agnes and Matilda, they had saved her from a life in the underground when she was just a baby. Valerya would glady give her life for them.

Valerya avoided titans to the best of her ability, she didn't have it in her to fight her way through. This time around she knew that she couldn't face them by herself.

Barely a street away from her house she could already hear the screaming. Valerya's heart instantly started racing. She flew around the corner, just to see a three meter titan holding Matilda by her feet, dangling her above his open mouth. The woman who Valerya had considered her mother for the past 18 years was screaming and crying hysterically, struggling to break free.

"Matilda!" Valerya cried out as she shot her hook directly above the titans ears, pulling herself close, but it was too late.

Not reacting to the hook whatsoever his fingers let go of Matilda and she fell right into his mouth. His grotesque teeth closed and the shouting stopped abruptly, In it's stead Valerya heard bones crunching as she landed on the titans shoulders.

Her blades found the nape of the titan just as he swallowed and Valerya knew that she was too late, there was no hope left.

The dead titan fell to the ground with ear shattering noise, while Valerya was still on his back. The impact made her lose her footing and she fell, rolling off the giant monster that had just eaten her mother. Her body came to a stop on her back a few meters from the titan.

Valerya was facing the bright blue sky, there were hardly any clouds. It was rarely beautiful weather in Trost. For the second time today, she could feel her brain going numb unable to process what she had just witnessed. If she had left the same time as Mikasa... if she had just abandoned her post... if she had come here first.

Valerya raised her blood covered, left hand towards the sky.

I'm so sorry, Matilda, she whispered quietly into the emptiness.

"Valerya?" The voice calling for her was shaky and thin.


End file.
